The National tribune., 1887-12-15
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.
Replies to Questions on Variety OF Interesting
Subiects

accompanied with full name and address Of writer
Our readers are requested to inclose a stamp for
reply TO their inquiries. Postal cards will be
replied to by mail only Replies by mail will ordi-
nsrily be made within q week, and If in this col
uun within three weeks.I
A. s.. Se0Iin, Tsr.-Piease say whether or not an
honorably y-dscharged soldier of the late has
the preferences of certihcation for appointments
under the Civil Service IL found competent under
Section 1854 Revised Statutes, u 81 Anst0er. The
law is more honored in the breach than in the OBJ
servanee Of it.
j. s. Parsons Pal have been seeking a pension
In my wife's name for long time and aiter its
allowance she died before receiving it. Can get
1t? Ans10er. You cannot draw cent of your
wifes pension but if you the father of the sol
dier you can apply for pension, and If same Is
granted you can draw from the date Of iling your
claim. The money which due her the
mother of the soldier reverts back to the Govern
ment unless there is n claim under the following
section ofthe Revised Statutes of the u 81 Section
4715. If any pensioner has died or shall hereafter
die; or If any person entitled to pension, having
an application therefore pending, has died shall
the child or children of such person. under the age
of is years shall be entitled 70 receive the accrued
pension to the date of the death of such person.
Such accrued pension shall not be considered as
part Of the assets of the estate OF deceased nor
liable to be applied 10 the payment Of the debts Of
said estate In any Whatever but shall nure 10
the sole and exclusive benefit of the widow chill
dren; and IL no widow or child survive no pay
ment whatsoever Of the accrued pension shall be
made or allowed-except so much as may be neces-
sary to reimburse the person who bore the expenses
of the last sickness and burial Of the decedent in
meet such expenses"
MN, Freedom, PG-Father died Of disease con-
/ tracted in the service. Mother did not apply for
pension, bat remarked and afterwards died, leaving
one child Chid's guardian did not apply for pen
sion for child but the child herself did after beeom
/ ing over age. Is she entitled? AasDer. Yes il
she was under l6 years of age at date Of fathers
/ death.
| ~ r., South Boston, Mass-I enlisted May o.
1861, for three years, and served till November,
| 1862. was furloughed and did not return till the
President issued his proclamation in April, 1860.
/ Was afterwards discharged. Can obtain pen
/ sionf 4nsiOeT. II you contracted disability in
service and in line of duty, yes.
| O. ID. M, CLGain, Kan.-If a soldier Is allowed an
l increase by Examining Board, can the Pension
Office refuse to grant it on the ground that the SOL
der Is drawing all that the present laws entte him
/ tor Ansr0sr. Yes. The reports Of the Examining
Surgeon are always subject TO revision by the PEN
| sion Bureau.
/ A. ~, NashUiIe Tenn.-A soldier Is pensioned in
1876 or 1877 for loss of right eye due to wound in
| head in line OF duty. His rating is 81 per month.
/ He applies again shortly after and becomes rated
at 50: In February, 1885 he applies and is then
| rated at $40. He has been recently informed by
some Pension Agents OF your city that he is still
rated too low and entitled to re-ratng from the be-
ginning for the reason that he was originally rated
/ too low. Is this sof ARSioer. The claim cannot.
IN our opinion be re-rated IL appears that he was
pensioned in strict conformity with the rules of
| the Pension Office from time to time. Up TO April
3 1854 the rate for the loss of an eye was S4 After
that Is was 3. You cannot SO prior to said
lastmentioned date. From the description Of the
disability do not think the pensioner can secure
| anything further.
JH NJ Fort Collins Coll was commissioned
Second Lieutenant in the Winter of 1864; was sent
ont TO Colorado in the Fall of 1865. In the Spring
of 1860 rendered my resignation, which
eepted and my discharge is dated April 1865. Was
on detached duty at the time of receiving my dis
charge. Immediately started for Denver Col, and
drew my pay on my own muster-rOll as being on
detached service and was paid up 70 April 1. Am
not entitled to three months pay proper and also
pay for nine days? I have my clearance papers
| from all the Departments 2 After receiving my
| commission was assigned to duty in a company
m hrlt WA not ate ra6
| about three mOnths Am not entitled to pay as
an officer for this period? Ans0sr. l. Not unless you
We're actually mustered in officer prior to May
| 8, 1855. q You might have been had you filed your
claim prior 10 June 3, 1887 at which date AL such
claims became barred by statute Of limitation.
T. j. D.. Manchester ~ HI soldier enlisted
Sept. 1, 1861 captured Aug. Is 1884 died in q
Confederate prison Nov. l3 1864 Is there any bounty
due his mother? 2 A soldier enlisted Aug. 3
1881 was discharged for disability Aug. IS, 1852
died OF consumption Nov. 8, 1852 Is there any
bounty due his widow? AnSVsr 1. IL no bounty
has been paid on account of the services OF the
soldier, and he left widow minor children,
the father Of soldier being Dead the mother Is
entitled to bounty. 2. No.
Us. g., ErtrQ, IOtCd.-Would a pensioner claim
Ing increase new disability be entitled 70 arrears
from time of discharge if he proves the origin Of
said disability by bis hospital nurse and n comrade,
and proves its existence and continuance from dis
charge up TO present time by nei@hbors and physi
eianf Answer. IL the new disability was not al
legged In claim fled prior to July l. lS50, pension
would commence only from the date Of filing ap-
plication for said new disability.
| r a.
my attorney true, TO the effect that the Secretary
of the Interior has rendered decision that all
wounded soldiers shall have a re-rating of their
pensions? 4nslCer. There is truth in such
statement. As a matter Of fact, neither the Secre-
tary OF the Interior nor any other power could
make such a ruling as this, because all ratings
must be made according TO the laws passed by Con-
gress, which can in no way be modified or changed
by executive ruling.
j. L. M, Wsllman Io,pa-1 Has deserter the
right to voter 2. Did the Presidents proclama-
tion reinstate deserters, thus granting them this
priyilege2 AnstSer. 1. Yes. 2. Yes.
Y. IT, s.. Cambridge, OhiO.-Does the fact that q
soldier who was found by the Board of Surgeons
to be unfit for field service and transferred into
the Second Battalion, V r. Corps, entitle him to q
pension ARseer Il would depend upon the nature
OF his disability, and how and when it was con-
tracted.
d. d. H., Clay CITY, Tnd-Aner being honorabIy
discharged for disability. soldier who had en-
listed for three years prior TO July D. lS6I dies
How much bounty was due hirn7 Having left no
hueai heirs can his brother or sister claim his
paid bOunty2 4nStCsr. There may have been q
bounty of sl00 due him. II he left no widow nor
children and his parents dead hts brothers and
sisters could claim the bounty if any is due.
ID. g., ShEoh Htl, M.-ln your abstract state
ment Of soldiers pay, allowances. etc., in last
weeks issue, think you are in error to cloth
ing having been furnished them by the Govern
ment During the war i made up many pay-ros,
In which every item Of clothing was charged to tho
| soldier. AitstOsr. Our statement was correct All
clothing furnished by the Government, but it
was charged against the soldier IL he orsrdrelo his
account. Soldiers allowed clothing at the
where they oyerdrew the difference would be
charged against them ON the payroll and deducted
from their pay and upon the same basis they were
at discharge paid the money-value of all clothing
| not drawn.
D. A. T. Rost,,dotrs w. "a soldier originally
pensioned at Sl applies for increase which is al
lowed at S4 more. Having subsequently become
totally disabled, can he not again receive in
| crease? What would be given him on total disa-
| bilityf AnS,ger. The rating for what is termed
total disability" is SO per month for an enlisted
| man. but there are many degrees above total. II
GE1aN
applying therefor he will receive it; but the result
will depend upon the report Of the Examining sur
geons
p H. p, Winfield Ran.-Ts there such scrip as
valentine Land scrip" or " Wilson Land Scrip" /" {?
and il there bounty hand scrip issued under GER
tain conditions to- soldiers Of the late war; AnSlUer
There Is such scrip Valentine Land Scrip" and
Wilson Land Scrip" OF the latter but 50 acres
were issued. such scrip is very valuable, being
held at soto $50 per acre, and will take surveyed
unsurveyed lands, offered unoffered, and is
therefore, much sought after in locating town sites
milling property, etc, ON public lands. Under the
act of June lS72 what Is known as the Soldiers
Homestead Act II WAS provided that any soldier
, | who had heretofore made homestead entry OF
. less than 100 acres would be entitled 70 make an
additional entry OF a certain amount of land To
make that quantity, and certificates OF the right
to make such entry were issued in great many
cases, and continued 10 be issued up to March is,
1883. when, by order of the Department, such prac-
tiee ceased. The power of attorney to obtain such
additional entries usually contained also the power
TO sell. and hence IL would become, in one sense
| scrip that might be located by anyone. There are
| not very many soldiers additionals" (scripl re-
manning Indicated, and they are held at about SO
per acre
. Iaff